Montana State Insurance Commissioner Matt Rosendale has announced his second attempted run for Congress, but he’s already begun his campaign-long sprint of running from his record of cutting health care protections for Montanans with pre-existing conditions and selling off Montana’s most treasured public lands to the highest bidders.
When Washington Republicans decided they would not defend the health care protections against a lawsuit by Republican attorneys general intended to sabotage health care for Americans and strip coverage for pre-existing conditions from 152,000 Montanans – Rosendale was silent. Instead as Montana’s Insurance Commissioner, Rosendale actively allowed health plans that “have some combination of exclusions for pre-existing conditions, limits on coverage and big gaps in benefits.”
NOW, Rosendale is rolling out his campaign saying he’s expanded and protected access to health care for Montana families…Only problem is that it is simply not true.
When asked in 2014 during his first run for Congress on the issue of health care, Rosendale made his views quite clear saying, “I would be first in line to make sure that we could repeal the entire system…I do not want to see the government running another health care system. We need to go to free markets.”
Then again in 2018, Rosendale told the Washington Examiner that he opposed requirements that health insurance companies cover those with pre-existing conditions and prohibit lifetime caps on payouts.
And finally, Rosendale’s Campaign rollout claims he “opened up public lands,” for the benefit of Montanans. But what Rosendale isn’t telling Montana families and ranchers is that he supports opening up public lands for state transfer and to be placed on the market for sale to the highest bidder, not to be protected for use respecting Montana’s deep heritage of hunters and anglers.
“As Montana’s Insurance Commissioner, Matt Rosendale has turned his back on patients with preexisting conditions and Montanans struggling with skyrocketing health care costs. Not only did this swamp creature stay silent in the face of a Federal lawsuit that would strip protections from 152,000 Montanans with pre-existing conditions and actually oppose other critical health care protections, but Rosendale has gone so far as to impersonate a rancher while undermining access to public lands,” said DCCC Spokesperson Andy Orellana. “Montana voters rejected Maryland Matt in 2018 and will do so again in 2020.”
Read the truth on Montana Insurance Commissioner Matt Rosendale’s falsehood-riddled campaign ad below.
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Rosendale’s Announcement Video Claimed He “Expanded Access To Health Care [And] Protected Pre-Existing Conditions.” “While Washington fights, Matt Rosendale goes to work. He expanded access to health care, lowered premiums, protected pre-existing conditions, lowered drugs costs – that was Matt’s bill.” [@MattForMontana, Twitter, 6/17/19]
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Rosendale Worked To Dismantle Access To Health Care For Individuals With Pre-Existing Conditions
Washington Examiner: Rosendale “Opposes The Federal Mandates In Obamacare That Force Health Insurance Carriers To Cover Pre-Existing Medical Conditions.” “Montana U.S. Senate candidate Matt Rosendale is running in a new world for Republicans: one where Obamacare repeal is not the clear-cut winner it was in the last two midterm elections. Rosendale said in an interview with the Washington Examiner that he opposes the federal mandates in Obamacare that force health insurance carriers to cover pre-existing medical conditions and prohibit lifetime caps on payouts, but would find other ways to provide coverage.” [Washington Examiner, 10/22/18]
Matt Rosendale On Pre-Existing Conditions And The Affordable Care Act: “I Would Be First In Line To Make Sure That We Could Repeal The Entire System…We’re Going To Eliminate Those Mandates.” ROSENDALE: “I would be first in line to make sure that we could repeal the entire system…I do not want to see the government running another health care system. We need to go to free markets. I’ve got an entire op-ed that’s posted on my website mattformontana.com, please go and look at it, and it outlines many of these but we have to open the sales of these insurers across state lines. Right now, Montana has so many mandates on our policies, that it limits the number of companies that want to do business with us. So that’s why our pool is so low. We have a high-risk pool. So that people that have pre-existing conditions do not have to rely on Obamacare. This has been a failure. Montana was a leader in this area. They didn’t have to wait for Obamacare to come out to develop something like that. We need to reduce those mandates—we’re going to eliminate those mandates so that more insurance companies are willing to sell product in our state.” [U.S. House Republican Primary Debate, 5/28/14] (VIDEO) 44:35
2/15/11: Matt Rosendale Voted Against Legislation Prohibiting Health Insurers From Limiting Or Denying Coverage For Montanans Under The Age Of 19 Over Pre-Existing Conditions. On February 15, 2011, Matt Rosendale voted against passing HB128 out of the House Business and Labor Committee. “Section 1. Prohibition on preexisting condition exclusions for individuals under 19 years of age in individual health insurance coverage – definition – open enrollment. (1) A health insurance issuer may not limit or exclude coverage under an individual health insurance plan, except for coverage consisting solely of excepted benefits, for an individual under 19 years of age by imposing a preexisting condition exclusion on that individual. (2) for the purposes of this section, ‘preexisting condition exclusion’ means a limitation or exclusion of benefits under health insurance or a denial of coverage to an individual: (a) based on the condition’s presence before the effective date of coverage or, if the coverage is denied, the date of denial, whether or not any medical advice, diagnosis, care, or treatment was recommended or received before the effective date of coverage or denial date; or (b) as a result of information relating to an individual’s health status learned by the health insurance issuer before the individual’s effective date of coverage or, if the coverage is denied, the date of denial, such as a condition identified as a result of a preenrollment questionnaire or physical examination given to the individual or a review of medical records relating to the reenrollment period. […] Section 2. Prohibition of preexisting condition exclusions in group health insurance coverage relating to individuals under 19 years of age.” [HB128, Bill Text, accessed 7/26/18; House Business & Labor Committee, Executive Action on HB 128, 2/15/11]
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Rosendale’s Announcement Video Claim He “Lowered Premiums” For Health Insurance. “While Washington fights, Matt Rosendale goes to work. He expanded access to health care, lowered premiums, protected pre-existing conditions, lowered drugs costs – that was Matt’s bill.” [@MattForMontana, Twitter, 6/17/19]
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As State Auditor, Rosendale Allowed Insurers To Increase Rates On Montanans
MTN News: Matt Rosendale “Didn’t Officially Object” To 23 Percent Proposed Rate Increase Filed By Montana Blue Cross Blue Shield. “The insurance commissioner has the power to review premium changes proposed by health insurers for these policies. He or she can say whether the increases are excessive or unjustified, but has no power to change them. The companies can file what rates they choose. Last year, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana, the state’s largest private insurer, proposed an average rate increase for these policies of 23 percent. Rosendale held hearings on the increases, but didn’t officially object to them, and they took effect for 2018.” [MTN News, 8/16/18]
Billings Gazette Editorial: Matt Rosendale Had The “Authority To Hold Health Insurers Accountable,” But Instead Of “Pressur[ing] Insurers To Stop Overpricing…He Found That The Proposed Rates Were Justified.” “In the 2013 Legislature, Rosendale voted against legislation to authorize the state insurance commissioner to review rates that health insurers propose to charge Montanans. That bill, sponsored by a Republican, became law despite Rosendale’s opposition and now gives him authority to hold health insurers accountable. The law doesn’t allow the commissioner to set rates, but it does require insurers to report their planned rates for the individual and small group markets and requires an actuarial analysis of those rates. If Rosendale determined that the proposed rates weren’t justified by the costs of providing care, he could negotiate with the insurers and use the bully pulpit of his state office to pressure insurers to stop overpricing. Rosendale hasn’t done that. Instead, he found that the rates proposed were justified.” [Billings Gazette, Editorial, 8/16/18]
Billings Gazette Editorial: “If Rosendale Determined That The Proposed Rates Weren’t Justified By The Costs Of Providing Care, He Could Negotiate With The Insurers And Use The Bully Pulpit Of His State Office To Pressure Insurers To Stop Overpricing.” “The law doesn’t allow the commissioner to set rates, but it does require insurers to report their planned rates for the individual and small group markets and requires an actuarial analysis of those rates. If Rosendale determined that the proposed rates weren’t justified by the costs of providing care, he could negotiate with the insurers and use the bully pulpit of his state office to pressure insurers to stop overpricing.” [Billings Gazette, Editorial, 8/16/18]
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Rosendale’s Campaign Announcement Touted His Work Opening Up Public Lands.
“And he opened up public lands.” [@MattForMontana, Twitter, 6/17/19]
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Rosendale Supported Federal Land Transfers, Which Risked Selling Land To The Highest Bidder
Rosendale: “I Have Long Been On The Record As An Advocate For The Transfer Of Federal Public Lands To The State.” “Matt Rosendale: Republican: I have long been on the record as an advocate for the transfer of federal public lands to the state. If anyone were to examine a map of federal public lands, they would see that all of the states east of Montana have already had the majority of those lands transferred to the respective state’s control. I refuse to accept the notion that North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin (and the like) have the ability to manage their lands, but Montana does not.” [Billings Gazette, 5/7/14]
Transferring Public Lands To States Increased Risk Of Them Being Sold. “In challenging Chaffetz and other proponents of transferring federal land to individual states, sportsmen and conservationists often turn to one particular argument to shore up their opposition: Turning over public lands will result in states selling those parcels off to the highest bidder. ‘Look at history: States have a track record of selling these lands that were given to them at statehood,’ said Land Tawney, executive director of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, which led the protest against Chaffetz’s bill earlier this year. ‘The concern here is they’ve already done it, and they could definitely do it again.’” [Energy & Environment News, 4/11/17]
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Rosendale’s Campaign Announcement Said He “Was From Glendive.” That’s what you do, when you’re from Glendive. [@MattForMontana, Twitter, 6/17/19]
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Rosendale Was From Maryland
June 2002: Matt Rosendale Moved From The Eastern Shore Of Maryland To Montana. “Longtime Queen Anne’s County resident Matthew Rosendale, who was well-known on Kent Island and in Centreville for many years as a real estate broker, is wearing couple of different hats these days, far removed from the Eastern Shore…The son of Chris and Mary Lou Rosendale who owned Rosendale Realty and founded the Bay Times, Rosendale has lived in Montana since June 2002. Today, in addition to his work in the state legislature, he is also a rancher and is in the developing and consulting business.” [Easton Star-Democrat, 2/23/11]
· August 2001: Easton Star-Democrat: Matt Rosendale Purchased A Ranch In Montana With The Idea That “He And Jean Would Spend A Number Of Months There Each Year.” “In August 2001 he finally bought the ranch he wanted and spent the entire month there with the whole family working to spruce it up. They knew the neighbors and a lot of people in the community and felt ‘very comfortable.’ Rosendale described the countryside as ‘these big rolling plains,’ which he found appealing. The original idea was that he and Jean would spend a number of months there each year, but in 2002 they decided that all five of them would move to the ranch full-time. He worked with his brother on the transition at the family business and in June 2002 the family headed west to an area near Glendive, Mont., in the eastern part of the state about 1,789 miles west of Kent Island, give or take a few miles.” [Easton Star-Democrat, 2/23/11]
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